Posted by:
DISCERN
at Thu Jul 7 20:05:51 2011 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by DISCERN ]
Good points Jorge, and believe me, the major leaders in the hobby/industry, not only do not post on here but view, and laugh, and they acknowledge the biological attributes to the snakes with the names, KINGSNAKES, with respect and TRUE appreciation for the animals.
The part on Tad's website talking about this, stating that kings can be kept together it can be done still shows that he even is still keeping a healthy mind on the fact that there are risks. As quoted:
" Keep in mind there is risk involved but this can be eliminated or greatly reduced when a few simple husbandry practices are followed. " ( Note the term " greatly reduced. " )
" (I have not housed males together)."
" Each snake is set up individually in it's own separate cage and fed exclusively on a diet of rodents.....This is very important as it establishes their feeding habits....They are housed & fed in this manner every 4-7 days until reaching breeding size, normally 18-30 months. When it is determined they are large enough to breed they are cycled (cooled) for 2-3 months at 55-60 degree F., either separately or together....At the end of this cycling period they can be safely housed together if a few precautions are taken. ( Note this last part.." if a few precautions are taken." )
So, Tad does not raise hatchlings together, but separately, which contradicts some of the nonsense spoken about on this forum at times. Let's read further:
" The snakes must be separated when feeding, this is when a negative incident is most likely to occur. "
So, this is the main component of the basics regarding to the safety/unsafe areas that Tad has made note of.
" To recap, the main husbandry practices are: #1: start with captive produced hatchlings of the same sub-species. #2, house and feed them separately until they reach breeding size. #3, feed them rodents only. #4, once housed together as adults always separate during feeding and a few hours after. #5, don't let them go without food for extended periods of time. (2 weeks)"
Again, although I would disagree with him co-habitating kings overall, he still plays it very safe by separating during feeding, and making sure that they do not let them go without food for a long time. The last fact of what he does is a very good diagnosis of using that statement as a preventative: Meaning keeping the kings well fed. That is a preventative that is still needing to be kept in mind, proving that it is NOT something not to be cautious about, and proves the points still that it can and IS risky to kings together to begin with.
So, overall, this is the safest I have read about keeping kings together, but still, despite this, it is still proven that situations can and will occur. The facts are there. The scientific makeup of the animal alone is set in stone. Can not be argued, no matter how much attention-eager desires are typed on a snake forum. I have known about hogs and gopher snakes eating each other, let alone the plethora of king stories that I know, from adults to even Florida king babies eating each other right out of the egg. I know, I know.....you then hear the overused excuse and blame given to the keeper.." ooooh..you didn't feed them enough! " ( Andrew Dice Clay voice ) All that is, is the attention desperately trying to be thwarted from the bad advice and lies commonly seen at times on this forum and others, to the people who have lost their poor kings to cannabilism. People are known, by human conditions, to say about anything on the internet, in hopes to gain attention. You see that a lot here, and unfortunately, the snakes are the ones that can pay.
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Genesis 1:1
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RE: Here's the bottom line - DISCERN, Thu Jul 7 20:05:51 2011
